


Reprieve

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Drabblers one shots HP [13]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Friendship, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Pre-Relationship, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:10:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6560515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Why waste a Friday night being responsible when you can sneak into Hogsmeade with the Head Boy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reprieve

“Have prefects got stupider all of a sudden?” Lily huffed, frowning at the patrol reports haphazardly littering the desk.

“I guess they could have,” James said, looking up from next month’s patrol schedule with a half-smirk. “Though I think it’s more likely you’ve got smarter.”

A smile rose to Lily’s lips and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. Then, she shook her head and turned back to the scraps of parchment.

“I swear my reports were never this bad,” she grumbled under her breath.

“Are they really so terrible?”

“Come see for yourself.”

Lily heard James get up and walk over to her. His hand settled on the desk as he leaned over her shoulder to peer at the pile of reports, so close she could smell the faint trace of his cologne.

Lily bit her lip, forcing herself to focus.

“This one’s Whiting’s, it seems he can’t spell the word ‘corridor’ to save his life.”

James chuckled. “That’s funny.”

“It’s funny the first few times. After that it gets annoying. Now Holloway here… well, have a look.” Lily handed James the parchment slip and watched him blink at it in confusion.

“I can’t – What does it say?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Lily shrugged, taking the report back from James.

“Dear Merlin,” James whistled. “And I thought Remus’ handwriting was bad.”

“If you want bad…” Lily picked up another report and held it gingerly at an arm’s length. “I don’t know whose this is, and I most definitely do not want to know what they’ve spilled on it.”

James’ nose scrunched adorably as he regarded the suspicious brownish stain covering half the parchment.

“All right, that’s it. Evans, get your cloak!”

“What? Why?”

“Because this is no way to spend our Friday evening. We deserve better, for putting up with all this paperwork.”

“But I haven’t finished my report.”

“So what? It’s not due until Sunday, you’ll have all day tomorrow to work on it.”

“That’s true,” Lily conceded, a small sparkle appearing into the corner of her eye. “Let’s go then.”

She squeezed with James under his Invisibility Cloak, and the two of them took off.

As he lead her down a secret passageway, Lily idly wondered how her fifth year self would have reacted if someone had told her that one day she’d neglect her Head Girl duties so she could sneak into Hogsmeade with James Potter. But then again… A wry smile briefly touched Lily’s lips. A lot had changed since their fifth year, such as James becoming much less of a prat. They’d been friendly since the Christmas break in their sixth year, but this year with their Head duties forcing them to spend a lot of time together, they had grown even closer.

Sometimes, in the dark hours of the night when Lily couldn’t sleep, she found herself musing that – if James was to ask her on a date now, like he had done back in their fifth year – she’d be inclined to agree.

James was funny and clever. He was a caring, loyal friend and surprisingly responsible for an infamous troublemaker. As he had grown up, he had managed to shed much of his arrogance which made him that much more appealing to Lily. And even fifth year Lily had not been able to deny that James had been blessed with good looks and charisma.

At times she even toyed with the idea of asking him out herself, but thought better of it. She wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea to upset their current relationship. After all they were Head Boy and Girl, they’d have to work together until graduation no matter what, and more importantly, set an example for all the other students.

Though… what they were doing right now wasn’t too exemplary, Lily admitted to herself as she watched James approach their table in the Three Broomsticks, but as there were no witnesses, she couldn’t quite bring herself to care.  
“Here you go, Evans,” James grinned as he set down a pint of Butterbeer and a shot of Firewhisky.  

“Cheers, Potter,” Lily replied with quick smile. “What do I owe you?”

“Oh no, the drinks are on me. Your lovely company is more than enough of a repayment.”

“Flatterer,” Lily quipped, and downed her Firewhisky. Warmth pooled in the pit of her stomach and flooded her body – and perhaps not entirely because of the drink.

Looking around at the merry bustle of the pub and cradling her pint of Butterbeer, Lily sighed contentedly.

“You were right,” she said, slanting James a look. “We did definitely deserve better.”

“Told you,” he replied easily, the familiar crooked grin playing on his lips, his hazel eyes alight with laughter.

They did that a lot, Lily had noticed. She rather liked that sparkle in his eyes; his easy-going demeanour was contagious.

Lily sipped at her drink and watched the flames dance in the nearby fireplace. She felt warm and comfortable, as if having snuck out to the Three Broomsticks with James was the most natural thing in the world.

And maybe it was, she thought, stealing another glance at James. Somehow, he had slipped in and become one of the most important persons in her life without Lily even realising.

“You seem thoughtful,” James commented in a teasing tone. “Better not be about work.”

“Nah, I’m done with work for the evening.”

“Good. Mischief managed,” James smirked, his eyes full of mirth.

They sat there side by side, chatting and laughing, enjoying their drinks and the toasty warmth of the crackling fire. They were young and their hearts were light – for now they still were students, granted a reprieve from the bleak adulthood looming ahead. Somewhere out there a darkness and bitter raging war lay in wait, but that was not their world; not yet.

They shared smiles and glances, and when James casually wrapped his arm around Lily’s shoulders, it felt like coming home.


End file.
